Spain’s Vox Party Warns Immigrants: Do Not Come, You Will Not Be Welcomed as “The Little Money We Have is For Spaniards”

AMONGST the controversy of Spain’s new minimum income scheme, Vox, who initially was open to this fiscal measure is now completely against it. A spokesperson for the party Ivan Espinosa de los Monteros has sent a clear message to immigrants, as he warned them: do not come, you will not be welcomed as “the little money we have is for Spaniards” who have been let off.

Espinosa de los Monteros even made a point to communicate this message in both English and French, so that if there are any immigrants listening “they can listen to [Vox]” before they think of making the journey towards Spain. He clearly remarks “Do not come, if you do you will suffer a huge disappointment.”

According to the Vox spokesperson, he has made this call out to immigrants because Spain is in no position to accommodate any more people and the “little money there is will go towards Spaniards without jobs, who have not received any ERTEs or promised aid.”

He recognised that the coronavirus has brought about the worst crisis since the “postwar period” and that establishing this message is essential. Letting immigrants think that they can come to Spain and be paid a “minimum vital income is a drain,” said Espinosa de los Monteros.

The spokesperson also reported that he had witnessed “videos of individuals, in Arabic, explaining the benefit system” and how to register, something he finds unacceptable.

A spokesperson for the opposing party, Podemos, Pablo Echenique responded to the comments at a press conference and said that Spain could not be represented like that, as it is a country full of “empathetic people that cares for people who come from outside.”

Furthermore, he explained that Spain has the ability to protect and care for its people as well as for the people who are risking their lives to come to work.